August 30, 2021

A Revolutionary Restoration

Since 2012, the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo, just south of St. Petersburg, has been under renovation. Now visitors can once again get a look (and take a selfie) at the last home of the Romanovs.

The renovations, which included the refurbishing of thirteen interiors, seek to portray the palace as it was during the Russian Revolution. Those visiting the palace can see where Nicholas II, after abdicating the throne in March 1917, lived with his family before being taken to Siberia, a journey from which they wouldn't return. Wander through the Romanovs' sitting rooms, offices, libraries, and bedrooms, and try not to think about those pesky communists.

The renovations also make Alexander Palace a must-see in the town of Tsarskoe Selo, a name that literally means "Tsar's Village." This was the nineteenth-century equivalent of today's Martha's Vineyard, where the upper-upper classes would go to get away from the rigors of city life, an idyll complete with monuments to themselves, fake ruins, a school for the nobility (Pushkin's alma mater), and even a faux-Chinese village.

It's also the only palace to have its own Faberge Egg:

faberge alexander palace — A tiny palace for tiny Romanovs. | Shakko, Wikimedia Commons

Tags: palaces st. petersburg romanov russian revolution travel

May 30, 2021

Which Russian Metropolis is Right for You?

Are you a Moscow Maniac or a Petersburg Patrician? It's time to take a side!

August 03, 2019

"The Last Czars" is a Disgrace to Russian History

“The Last Czars” is a wolf in sheep’s clothing: disingenuous, deceitful hagiography masquerading as history.

January 10, 2021

The Best (and Worst) Facial Hair in Russian History

Which Russian tsars, stars, and commissars sported the most macho mustaches, grimy goatees, and bombastic beards? Let's make a listicle!

May 04, 2021

The Tsar with the Dragon Tattoo

Something you probably did not know about the last Romanov: before he ascended the throne, he got a huge dragon tattoo in Japan.

November 03, 2020

The Emperor Has No Clothes

Unexpected nude photos of Nicholas II appeared online last week, causing quite a stir, despite being more than a century old.

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